Martin still sick, but with Rockets needing a win (especially on the road) will play

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In one of many signs of a team on a losing streak, Rockets guard Kevin Martin will play against the Bobcats tonight. The Rockets listed his condition as flu-like symptoms, which sounded about right.

“Nauseous. Weak. Like I have the flu,” Martin said when asked how he felt.

He missed Monday’s practice and Tuesday’s shootaround, but did not think it was time to miss a game.

“I might be able to take a sick day if we were 6-2, instead of 2-6,” he said. “I can’t do that right now.”

Martin’s play could be considered vital. As with the Rockets as a whole, Martin has been very different home and away. He has averaged 22.7 points on 47.9 percent shooting at Toyota Center; 12.8 points on 39.3 percent shooting on the road.

The Rockets go into the game 0-5 on the road. The last time they began a season with six-consecutive road losses was the 1982-83 season when they lost their first seven road games and first 10 games overall, and finished with 14 wins and the first pick of the draft. The season ended with five-consecutive losses and the selection of Ralph Sampson with the first pick in the draft.